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The Definition of a Reinforcer There is perhaps no term used in behavior analysis that is tossed around as casually in the general lexicon as the word “reinforcer.”  Most people familiar with applied behavior analysis (ABA) recognize that the science of ABA is based on the principle of reinforcement.  Unfortunately, the scientific definition of a … more »

The technical term for my job title is “speech-language pathologist,” which sometimes is shortened to the acronym “SLP.”  More often though, I’m known to the public as a “speech therapist.”  In fact, when introducing myself, I’ve often found it easier to simply refer to myself as a speech therapist, as the technical term is a … more »

As a novice speech-language pathologist, I used to think there was really nothing I could do to spark speech in a non-verbal child.  I was wrong.  Research shows that alternative augmentative communication, such as sign language, promotes VOCAL language.   In addition, a procedure known as stimulus-stimulus pairing may also prompt talking. Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing Stimulus-stimulus … more »

I’ve recently written about the importance of teaching children requests as “first words” rather than animals, letters, numbers, or colors.  I’ve also been discussing the importance of avoiding general requests and social niceties.  For example, don’t teach the word “more” and refrain from prompting children to say “please” too early.  The list of “don’ts” continues … more »

In my last blog post, I discussed the reasons why it’s best to avoid teaching the word “more” as a first word.  Now, I’d like to make a case against the word “please.”  I’ve seen some practitioners teach “please” as a first word, and when this occurs, the pitfalls are largely the same as teaching … more »